Medicinal marijuana seller to challenge federal drug laws

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — It’s the first day in what may be a long legal journey for the owner-operator of a Kamloops compassion club.

Carl Anderson and his business partner Wesley Jenkins are each facing a single charge of drug trafficking after RCMP busted their club in 2011.

Anderson plans to launch a constitutional challenge to the federal law banning such non-profit clubs from selling unsanctioned medicinal marijuana, saying the current regime violates patients’ charter rights.

More than 37,000 Canadians are authorized to possess marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Beginning April 1, medicinal marijuana users will no longer have to buy pot from Health Canada’s one approved supplier but will be restricted to buying from a list of approved growers.